"At the end of the day it was unanimous but myself and a couple of other directors were very close to the family," McIntyre said.

"But you have to sit back and make the decisions in the best interests of the future of the club."

At the end of the day it was unanimous but myself and a couple of other directors were very close to the family.

Canberra Raiders chairman John McIntyre

McIntyre says Furner's support for Ferguson was partly the reason for his dismissal as was not implementing some of the recommendations from a 2012 review of the club.

Ferguson is due to face an assault charge that goes to court again next month, after originally adjourned, but has been reinstated to the team.

"I don't think it was entirely that (supporting Ferguson), it was partly due to that and obviously associated with a number of other things that were supposed to have come out of a pretty comprehensive review that was done.

"Some of those recommendations that we saw as being vital were not taken up and fulfilled in a way that we would have expected."

McIntyre said communication with the players was one aspects but he declined to refer to further details.

"David's got his future to think of and we don't want to be too critical," he said.

Furner delivered the news by brother Don

Furner is still trying to come to terms with his sacking.

He was informed of the decision by brother and Canberra chief executive Don Furner during a team training camp on the New South Wales south coast on Tuesday.

Don said he was excluded from the decision making process and breaking the news to his brother was one of the hardest things he has had to do.

"I'm clearly as shocked as everybody else because I was left out of the discussions," he said.

I'm clearly as shocked as everybody else because I was left out of the discussions.

Raiders chief executive Don Furner

"I understand the reasons for that and I understand the uniqueness of the situation, David being my brother. I understand why I was left out of it."

The Furner family has had a long association with the club. David and Don's father Don was the first coach of the Raiders and David played 200 games for the club.

Chief executive Don says he believes his brother understands the reasons for his dismissal.

"He's tough. He's my brother and I still love him," Don Furner said.

"He's tough. He's my brother and I still love him."

Don Furner

"He's not done anything wrong, it's just a tough business. He's grown up around it, we've grown up around it, we know how tough it is.

"It's a very, very tumultuous business to be involved in.

"All coaches go through it and I'm sure deep down, along the way, all coaches know one day that that's going to happen to them."

McIntyre was expecting to meet with David Furner on Wednesday morning to explain further the club's decision.

Raiders Group chief executive Simon Hawkins said Furner will be paid out in full and he dismissed suggestions that players have taken control of the club.

"They have free communications to the board and they are allowed and they do exercise those," Hawkins said.

Immediate search for a new coach

Assistant coach Andrew Duneman will step in as caretaker coach for the rest of the season as the club searches for a replacement.

McIntyre said the club needs to act fast but has ruled out approaching former Raiders coach Neil Henry who is not wanted by the Cowboys beyond this season.

He says options include current Australian and former Tigers coach Tim Sheens and New South Wales Origin coach Laurie Daley.

"The reality of that is I don't think Laurie's going to take a drop in salary from his media position to full-time coach an NRL team," he said.